grown up too early



Today as I am
Today as I am

A first born of four siblings, I had to grow up very quickly.



My mother, a teacher, never entertained children or childishness and as a first born, I had no excuse for any of my sisters not doing anything they were supposed to do or doing it. I had to accept the mistakes of others as my own or be beaten for not accepting or accepting, whichever took her fancy. Mark you, my mother is an amazing woman, raised us with an iron fist and we turned out well. But as a child that iron fist was like a rock that knocked me every day and left me breathless. Being a teachers daughter I was expected to be on my best behavior at all times, to tow the line and never ever be found on the wrong.



This deprived me of the much needed childhood that i needed then. I had to grow up very fast and suppress any longings I had out of what my mother required for me. As a result I became the darling of the estate and a reference point of mothers with errant children or example to those who are younger than me. This made my mother proud, but inside me.......?This went on even in my school. Teachers gave and left me with responsibilities which I felt were beyond my years and made to work hard to perform to the satisfaction of my mother and teachers.



This was all good, but it deprived me of my childhood. I grew up too quickly and I didn't play as much as i wanted, I didn't socialize as much as I should have, I didn't have friends, most of them were afraid of me. I was called a book worm, gloomy and stuffy. I did not riot, never went into a disco or even a movie. My path was lined out for me by my mother, And I HATED IT.



I lived a pretend life because it was expected of me!



As an adult, I would have had a difficult time, had I not met Jesus and He transformed my life. I was able to accept some things and found a new meaning to life. If it wasn't my knowing Jesus I would have become a rebel and ended up badly for it had started to happen



On this day of the girl, let's all remember that this girl is also a child and needs to be given opportunities to be so. To enjoy their childhood.



Everybody born has a childhood, but non of us are guaranteed adulthood or even old age, lets create childhood memories for our girls, let's make it enjoyable and fun and not a case of endurance.



 



 

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